


Count The Stars, One By One

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Sequel Trilogy Missing Scenes [24]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, BAMF Luke Skywalker, Force Ghost Yoda (Star Wars), Gen, Luke Skywalker Needs A Hug, Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, Minor Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Minor Poe Dameron/Kylo Ren, Missing Scene, Movie: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Past Mind Control, Past Rape/Non-con Elements, Protective Yoda (Star Wars), ambiguous situation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-19 00:47:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29618013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Luke speaks with Yoda before making the ultimate sacrifice.
Series: Sequel Trilogy Missing Scenes [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931056
Kudos: 6
Collections: Allbingo, Bad Day Collection





	Count The Stars, One By One

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Be Here Now
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

The tree was in flames. Even though Luke knew that the texts were safe with Rey (and the texts are just symbols. Just objects. They were not what Luke thought what they were), he still couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss watching the tree go up in flames. Force Lightning — despite himself, Luke couldn’t help but think of how the Emperor had shocked him before. Excruciating, painful electric blue coursing through him, setting his nerves, his skin, his body on fire even as he metaphorically reached out to his father to save him.   
  
“I didn’t think Force Lightning could be used for anything outside of hurting people,” Luke said.   
  
Yoda turned towards Luke, his face graver and more serious than earlier, when he had the same sort of manic glee that evoked Luke’s first meeting with him. It was like Yoda was trying to reach him, in his own way. A form Luke was familiar with. “Trying to hurt you, the Emperor was,” Yoda said. “The Force — a powerful ally it is, whether it can be used to hurt or heal. The application of Force Lightning is one instance. The Emperor — used it he did to inflict harm. As did Supreme Leader Snoke.”  
  
“Did he...hurt Ben?”  
  
Silence. Yoda’s grave expression said that Luke already knew.   
  
“This is my fault,” Luke said. “I drove him there. And then I was too much of a coward to admit that Snoke...he invaded my mind, used me as a puppet...”  
  
“Ashamed, you were,” Yoda said. “Of the violation. The mind — a sacred thing it is. Private, intimate. As sacred as our body. When violated it is, many emotions go with it but of them, most prominent shame is.”  
  
“Yes.” Luke blinked. He could already feel the tears pricking his eyes. “He...he mentally _raped_ me.”  
  
“Your fault it was not. Why did you not tell Rey?”  
  
“Because then she would have seen,” Luke said. “She would have seen Luke Skywalker, the hero, the legend, as nothing more than...than...”  
  
“Weak? Lesser than, are you, for being violated? No!” Yoda...he sounded so very determined. So very firm. “One of my younglings...had they needed support, given it to them freely I would have. Believed in them and supported them I would have. A coward you were not, for resisted in the end you did. In the end, bad timing it was that Ben Solo did not see it.”  
  
“If I’d switched off my lightsaber...”  
  
“Still, made the choices he did,” Yoda said. “Burn down the Temple he did not; only take the blame for another he did. But choose to join the Knights of Ren, he did. Choices he had, and make all the wrong ones, he did."  
  
“He did.” Some of the pain of Kylo Ren’s cruelty had been so much that Luke had cut himself off in order to bear it. The Jedi Exile had done similarly, once upon a time. “Stars, Master Yoda...he deserved so much more. Even after everything, he is important to me.”  
  
“Worse he is becoming,” Yoda said evenly. “Surely you feel it?”  
  
(A shift in the Force, Snoke’s death...a gap that seemed like hope, only for Ben to supplant Snoke. The darkness from him was like Hoth, cold and solid, no room for conflict there)  
  
“I have to stop him,” Luke said. “But even an X-wing isn’t fast enough to get there in time. By the time I get there, he could have killed everyone." Then, “Tell me, at least, he wouldn’t kill his own mother. Or Poe.”  
  
“Forced to torture Poe Dameron, he was. Used tactics he did, similar to what Snoke did to you.”  
  
Luke could swear his blood froze over. “His _best friend?”_ he said.   
  
Yoda nodded.   
  
Luke sighed. He doubted he had ever felt more destroyed, realizing what a monstrous beast his nephew had become. That Snoke had molded him into a monster. That, in a way, Snoke won. “I have to face him,” he said. “Before he brings the screams of the oppressed to the whole galaxy.”  
  
“A way, there is.”  
  
***  
  
Meditating on top of Ach-To was easy. What Luke was about to do next wasn’t. But he thought of Leia, as he projected himself across Ach-To, like Force users had long ago. He thought of Rey, and how badly he’d hurt her, even without meaning to, even when his monsters had gotten in the way.   
  
He thought of Ben, and how Ben would never know how much he meant to Luke...but he had to face him. Even if reasoning with him was nigh impossible.  
  
(It would prove out of the question when Ben ordered the First Order to fire on Luke. It left no impact, but it showed Luke that this wasn’t like Vader, where Vader still loved Luke. He had damaged his relationship with Ben beyond repair. No, Snoke had)  
  
He projected himself, across space and time, and hoped that it would be enough.


End file.
